Which do you prefer: MBA 12" same size as 11" or 11" with smaller size?

I saw the rumour saying that the new MBA 11" will be 12" with the same size as 11", I'm just wondering, since the main reason I would by MBA 11" is the portability, does anyone has the same feeling as I do, that if the size can be reduce, I'd rather prefer the same 11" but with less bevel size? 11" to 12" won't make a huge difference in term of display size, but 11" with less overall size does make a big difference at least to me, I have several jackets that if the current 11" is a bit smaller then I can put it in those pockets.

I saw the rumour saying that the new MBA 11" will be 12" with the same size as 11", I'm just wondering, since the main reason I would by MBA 11" is the portability, does anyone has the same feeling as I do, that if the size can be reduce, I'd rather prefer the same 11" but with less bevel size? 11" to 12" won't make a huge difference in term of display size, but 11" with less overall size does make a big difference at least to me, I have several jackets that if the current 11" is a bit smaller then I can put it in those pockets.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I'm hoping for both! The 11" MBA currently has such a large bezel that I think they could make it with a screen 12" and still make the computer a little smaller.

If I had to choose, though, I think I'd take the bigger screen.

I still think it could be thinner and lighter than the current 12" MBA. Shrinking the weight or making it thinner would be equally as impressive as making it have a smaller footprint.

Really, a 12" screen would be almost the same size as the current model. Everyone uses the 11" number but the current screen is actually 11.6".

I switched from a 2011 13" MBA to a 2013 11" MBA and love it. A screen that was 0.4" larger would make no difference to me whatsoever, and retina would not interest me. If they are going to "improve" the MBA I would vote for smaller size and longer battery life.

The footprint of the current 11" model could not be made smaller - with the current design they would have to sacrifice the full size keyboard and/or shrink the touchpad, both of which would be highly undesirable.

It isn't a question of wanting a 12" that is the same size or an 11" that is even smaller than the current model. Apple is not going to make a new 11" model, they are making a 12" model.

My best guess taking in all the rumours related to this product:

An 11.88-12.2" 16x10 retina display

All new Fanless clamshell design that follows the iPad Air design language

With this list, if it is a good representation of the machine we are going to get, will be an insta-buy for me and a whole host of those who have been waiting for retina to come to the ultraportable line of Apple's laptops.

I would imagine that this single machine will replace both the current models and be branded as the Macbook Air with Retina display. The current non-retina models with stay in the line-up for another year without any updates, in a similar fashion to the 13" non-retina MBP, but will be discontinued with the next update of the retina MBA.

Apologies if this is off topic and not what you were after at all. In answer to your original question, I would rather have a 12" the same size as the current 11", simply to keep the full size keyboard and trackpad.

Pretty sure we've addressed this issue before. Yes, the bezel is quite large, but the lid is too thin at the edges to allow the screen to extend anymore than it already does.

Apple would have to make the lid a uniform thickness, or taper it off in a much shorter distance to keep the same footprint, but add a larger screen.

Plus, that bezel actually hides some electronics and other components.

Click to expand...

Sure, I think this should be well known by now the 'why'.

That said, the original 2008 MBA had more design elements to give it that appearance of thinness, to the point where it was a gimped design (ie. the USB hatch). The 2010 redesign shrunk the actual thickness down by .08" and made it more slablike.

The hard limit on the actual thickness of the device in the body is the connectors. They could easily shave another 1/10" off the body of actual thickness. On the screen front, if they can get IGZO going they can work with a much thinner panel and shrink the overall thickness of the casing, even with retina and all.

Any means to reduce actual thickness takes away the desire to have a design that plays tricks with tapering countours.

Lol no, having USB behind a separate adapter is stupid. Everything else, sure but with USB being so widespread Apple will never do that, especially with Lightning not having as much traction, as they hoped it would have. Also 3-4 lightning ports... Why? You wan't an Air that is more prosumer that the Pro.

Everything else is most likely going to happen though (if the retina Air launches this year), although I won't count on a 16 GB BTO RAM option.

The footprint of the current 11" model could not be made smaller - with the current design they would have to sacrifice the full size keyboard and/or shrink the touchpad, both of which would be highly undesirable.

It isn't a question of wanting a 12" that is the same size or an 11" that is even smaller than the current model. Apple is not going to make a new 11" model, they are making a 12" model.

My best guess taking in all the rumours related to this product:

An 11.88-12.2" 16x10 retina display

All new Fanless clamshell design that follows the iPad Air design language

With this list, if it is a good representation of the machine we are going to get, will be an insta-buy for me and a whole host of those who have been waiting for retina to come to the ultraportable line of Apple's laptops.

I would imagine that this single machine will replace both the current models and be branded as the Macbook Air with Retina display. The current non-retina models with stay in the line-up for another year without any updates, in a similar fashion to the 13" non-retina MBP, but will be discontinued with the next update of the retina MBA.

Apologies if this is off topic and not what you were after at all. In answer to your original question, I would rather have a 12" the same size as the current 11", simply to keep the full size keyboard and trackpad.

From what I know about the internal construction of Thunderbolt cables and the impedance matching circuits necessary to achieve such a high bandwidth, I highly doubt that any type of adapter to a Lightning connector adapter could be mated to a high speed Thunderbolt connection.

Lol no, having USB behind a separate adapter is stupid. Everything else, sure but with USB being so widespread Apple will never do that, especially with Lightning not having as much traction, as they hoped it would have. Also 3-4 lightning ports... Why? You wan't an Air that is more prosumer that the Pro.

Click to expand...

Well, the logic I used there is that my 11" MBA has 2 USB and 1 Thunderbolt for a total of 3 connector ports, that's actually pretty spartan, relatively speaking even within the Macbook lineup. So I figured that a brand new, ground up design 12" that is meant to replace both the 11" and 13" models would contain at least as many connector ports of some kind as the 13".

From what I know about the internal construction of Thunderbolt cables and the impedance matching circuits necessary to achieve such a high bandwidth, I highly doubt that any type of adapter to a Lightning connector adapter could be mated to a high speed Thunderbolt connection.

Click to expand...

That's a good point, if accurate. It is not an area I have any knowledge in. I do know that the Lightning connector in itself has no inherent limitation on speed as it is just a physical interface. It all depends on how it is connected on the motherboard and most likely, as you say, the throughput the adapter dongle cablage is capable of. I would imagine that the Thunderbolt/mini Display Port adapter would have cablage capable of passing through the full bandwidth.

Anyway, the idea of using Lightning connectors was something I came up with myself in order to solve the problem of trying to make a significantly thinner chassis for the new machine, as the limiting factor at the moment is full sized USB and Thunderbolt ports. It makes sense in an Apple-esque sort of way, I mean I already have two dongles sticking out of my Air for an ethernet connection (USB to Ethernet) and an external monitor (Thunderbolt to HDMI)...

EDIT:
Just checked the dimension for the female connector ports of the various standards, and here is what I got -

Lightning: 1.8mm X 9.05mm

USB: 5.12mm x 12.5mm

mDP/Thunderbolt: 5.4mm x 8.3mm

So the Lightning connector is 65% thinner than the standard USB port and 67% thinner than mini Displayport. That means the overall thickness of the chassis could be reduced by about 67% based on the connector ports being used as the limiting factor, basically meaning that the connector ports wouldn't come into play as a design limitation if Lightning is used. More likely the internals and airflow considerations would become the limiting factors instead.

That said, the original 2008 MBA had more design elements to give it that appearance of thinness, to the point where it was a gimped design (ie. the USB hatch). The 2010 redesign shrunk the actual thickness down by .08" and made it more slablike.

The hard limit on the actual thickness of the device in the body is the connectors. They could easily shave another 1/10" off the body of actual thickness. On the screen front, if they can get IGZO going they can work with a much thinner panel and shrink the overall thickness of the casing, even with retina and all.

Any means to reduce actual thickness takes away the desire to have a design that plays tricks with tapering countours.

Click to expand...

Personally, I hope they slow down with their obsession of making things thinner (and lighter). Like you said it leads to gimped designs like the original air. I'll go ahead and throw the current iMac in there as well. Sacrificing usability / compatibility for thinness is a non-starter in my opinion.

Personally, I hope they slow down with their obsession of making things thinner (and lighter). Like you said it leads to gimped designs like the original air. I'll go ahead and throw the current iMac in there as well. Sacrificing usability / compatibility for thinness is a non-starter in my opinion.

Click to expand...

I love thinner and lighter. I had the original MBA. It had compromises but it was unmatched in portability and that was sheer beauty.

The 2010 version (which I also bought) was a better all around computer but even it had compromises.

The 2010 thinness and lightness is now outdated (just look at the Windows ultra-books and its also quite obviously simply by how close the MBPs are in size and weight measurements).

It's time for Apple to take the next step forward in the unending move towards the future of portable computers. The future will be much thinner and lighter than what we have now. It is an art form and I can't wait to see the new 12" Retina MBA.

Really, a 12" screen would be almost the same size as the current model. Everyone uses the 11" number but the current screen is actually 11.6".

I switched from a 2011 13" MBA to a 2013 11" MBA and love it. A screen that was 0.4" larger would make no difference to me whatsoever, and retina would not interest me. If they are going to "improve" the MBA I would vote for smaller size and longer battery life.

Click to expand...

Who says the new 12" screen isn't 12.8"?! Then it would be even close to rivaling the 13" version.

For me, however, making it a 'retina' resolution screen makes all that immaterial. The higher resolution (especially if the contrast level are increased) means that it can be compared to the 17" MBP in terms of visible work space.

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.